


Secure

by Museical



Series: Strong [3]
Category: Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Gen, Goldenlake Decathalon, Light-hearted Long Jump, Spoilers: MASTIFF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-13
Updated: 2013-01-13
Packaged: 2017-11-25 09:40:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/637543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Museical/pseuds/Museical
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gareth begs Sabine for a visit, and she doesn't have the heart to deny the little Prince.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Secure

 

 

  
Gareth begs, and Gareth pleads, and when Sabine finally gives in (she can only take so many of the lost-puppy dog eyes, and their Majesties are even more of a pushover than she is, nowadays), the little prince near about tells everyone in the entire palace that he is going to visit Beka Cooper.  
  
At first, the guardsmen look in askance at Sabine, but she merely rolls her eyes, shrugs, and sighs. The guards smirk a little to themselves, but they pay close attention to Gareth, all traces of humor gone as they nod seriously and tell Gareth to pass their best wishes on to the Mastiff.  
  
Gareth almost bounces off of his pony’s back on the ride through the city, but somehow they manage to get to the Cooper House with no involuntary dismounts. The guards with them catch the pony’s swinging reins when Gareth throws himself from the saddle, racing up the front walk to where Beka waits, arms folded casually as she leans against the doorframe.  
  
Flinging himself at her, Gareth hugs Beka about the waist, kissing her protruding stomach (“hello in there, baby!”) while Beka scowls over his head into the kitchen and Sabine laughs. “He won’t let me do anything anymore,” Beka informs Sabine grumpily.  
  
Laughter meets this, filling the crowded kitchen, and Farmer, the recipient of Beka’s glare simply grins over his shoulder. “Someone’s got t’ look after you, love, if you won’t,” he calls back good-naturedly, and Beka snorts.  
  
“I’m pregnant, not crippled.”  
  
Kora leans around Ersken, who is reclining at the table. “Come back in and sit down,” she entreats as she waves, “You too, Sabine!”  
  
Gareth has already clambered into Aniki’s lap, and she and Rosto launch into some tale of adventure and daring and dice at the Dove before Sabine can stop them from planting bad ideas in the boy’s head. Catching her eye, Rosto raises an eyebrow, and she tries to swat the insufferable man but he ducks out of reach.  
  
“Manners!” calls Farmer from the far side kitchen, apparently unconcerned with the commotion around his table, while Kora relieves the man of the dishes he is holding.  
  
Beka huffs a sigh—“You know it will only encourage him,”—which startles a laugh from Sabine (since when is Beka this domestic?). Ersken, the only one to catch Sabine’s incredulous look, grins.  
  
“Business good up yonder?” Farmer pulls up a chair next to Sabine and joins their odd family. “No worries, mind, I’ve got the place good and secure, so you might s’well relax.”  
Seeing Gareth’s delighted smile as he begs Aniki mercilessly for another story lays the last of Sabine’s worries to rest.  
  
“It’s good.”  
  
Kora laughs at something Rosto tells Gareth, and Beka frowns in their direction. Gareth notices none of this, pleading for Aniki to finish the story; for once he’s not ‘the Prince’, a miniature Court decoration, but just himself, a young boy.  
  
It’s very good.

 

 


End file.
